Risk factors of necrotizing enterocolitis in neonatal intensive care unit of Assiut University Children Hospital

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal emergencies in the neonates. It is characterized by ischemic necrosis of the intestinal mucosa. Objective: The aim of this work was to detect the most important risk factors of NEC in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Assiut University Children Hospital to help in prevention of this condition. Patients and methods: The present retrospective study included 36 neonates who were diagnosed as having NEC and admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during the period from April 2017 to March 2018. They were diagnosed by Modified Bell’s staging criteria. Results: Prematurity, cesarean section, formula feeding, neonatal sepsis, and respiratory distress syndrome have been identified as the most important risk factors for development of NEC in our study. Conclusion: NEC is an important problem for our patients. Avoidance of the most important risk factors (prematurity, cesarean section, formula feeding, neonatal sepsis, and respiratory distress syndrome) may decrease the incidence.